F.P. Report
ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly session was informed on Wednesday that nearly half of the approximately 20,000 Pakistani nationals in overseas jails were imprisoned in Saudi Arabia for various crimes.
“The number of Pakistanis detained in Saudi Arabia for various crimes stands at 10,279,” Dar, who also serves as the deputy prime minister, stated while providing details of Pakistani inmates during the question break.
According to foreign ministry data, at least 19,997 Pakistanis are languishing in foreign jails. Speaking about the process of repatriation of the prisoners, Dar said that upon the completion of their sentences, emergency travel documents were provided to the Pakistani nationals if their passports had expired.
“Pakistani community pays the fines of prisoners who have completed their sentences,” Dar asserted and added, “There is no obstacle in the repatriation of prisoners to Pakistan.” Saudi Arabia, according to Dar, has agreed to transfer 570 prisoners to Pakistan under the agreement.
Aa total of 19,997 Pakistanis are in foreign jails, while 68 were on death row in 10 countries on charges of terrorism, murder and drug trafficking, as per data obtained from 88 Pakistani missions across the world. Saudi Arabia has the highest number of imprisoned Pakistanis, followed by 5,292 in the UAE, 598 in Greece, 578 in Oman, 463 in Malaysia, 387 in Turkiye, 371 in Bahrain, 321 in the UK, 194 in Chengdu, 106 in Beijing, 84 in Guangzhou, 90 in Frankfurt, 63 in Washington, 48 in New York, 17 in Los Angeles, and 10 in Australia.
Major charges/allegations are illegal immigration/border crossing, overstay, murder, possession/use of narcotics & drugs, working without a work permit, sexual assault and harassment, human trafficking, extortion, kidnapping for ransom, robbery/theft, embezzlement/fraud, forgery, possession of counterfeit currency, money laundering, charges of espionage, smuggling (mostly narcotics), illegal possession of firearms, cybercrime and fighting/physical assault.
Speaker National Assembly, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq reaffirmed his commitment to conducting House proceedings strictly in accordance with parliamentary rules and regulations, and said that he would not succumb to any pressures.
His remarks were made during the question hour when opposition members wanted to speak on point of order. Highlighting the importance of the House’s operations, the Speaker underscored that addressing public concerns should remain the primary focus of parliamentary discussions.
He said that an agreement had been reached with the opposition to avoid quorum calls or points of order during the question hour, emphasizing its critical role in addressing public grievances. “We are elected by the people to solve their problems, and this responsibility should not be taken lightly,” he said.
The Speaker criticized the opposition for engaging in political distractions rather than focusing on substantive issues. He urged opposition members to refrain from protests and disruptions during the question hour, describing it as a crucial segment of parliamentary proceedings where ministers are held accountable for addressing key public issues.
Sardar Ayaz Sadiq also pointed out the significant effort invested in preparing for the question hour and called for sessions to remain free of political interruptions. He reiterated that ministers and senior ministry officials had been repeatedly warned to ensure their presence and respond to members’ queries.
He termed the opposition protests and disruptions as counterproductive to the nation’s interests, urging all members to approach public issues with seriousness and ensure that parliamentary proceedings are constructive and meaningful. Federal Minister for Law and Justice, Azam Nazeer Tarar, expressed disapproval of the disruptive protests during the National Assembly session, calling them inappropriate and detrimental to the House’s decorum.
“Mr. Speaker, these protests are unacceptable. The members involved are interfering in photography and videography, which disrupts the decorum of the House,” Tarar said. He urged the Speaker to take necessary actions to maintain order. The minister emphasized the need for all members to uphold the dignity of the House and focus on resolving public issues, aligning with the core purpose of parliamentary proceedings.
